mettere le corna

Meaning: To commit infidelity against a partner; to cuckold someone.

Literally: To put the horns

Example: “Nel film il protagonista scopre che la moglie gli mette le corna.” — In the film, the hero discovers his wife is cheating on him.

Origin: The cuckold's horns are a long-standing symbol of marital betrayal, depicted in European art and literature for centuries.

More Italian idioms

alla bell'e meglio In a sloppy, careless, or makeshift manner; doing something poorly for lack of effort or…
a casa del diavolo Far away; a great distance to travel; the long way around.
cattedrale nel deserto A large industrial facility built in a remote, poorly-connected region that produces litt…
Il bue che dice cornuto all'asino Said when someone accuses another of a fault that is really their own.
Il gioco non vale la candela The effort or risk is out of proportion to what you'd gain.
In bocca al lupo Good luck! (replied with 'Crepi!' — may it die).

Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.

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